"robert, we can't be friends anymore."
he was standing in the doorway to the gym, trying not to stare at my theater costume. I was dressed as a cheerleader.
"well, that's kind of obvious."
"then why are you following me around?" my voice was harsh, a whip.
"you're turning into your mother," he said to the floor.
that lit up a spark, but I laughed to hide the anger. it echoed across the gym and I could feel the eyes of the thespian club on me.
"what do you know about my mother?"
"I know she's a bitch."
"are you calling me a bitch?"
"no." he looked up at me with his sad, willow tree eyes and suddenly I was taken back. to the creek. my lackluster childhood. "just what you've become."
"we're not kids anymore, robert. grow up."
"I guess everyone grows up differently." he said. "and some create the illusion of it."
I suddenly felt a hand wrap up around my shoulder and I looked up to find kaleb in his football costume. "everything alright, babe?"
"yeah, he was just looking for a bathroom to take his meds in." kaleb laughed, on cue.
I just pretended not to know him after that. pretended he hadn't been there for me. hadn't been my first kiss.
